Outlet construction



Dec. 23, 1930. R. M. CALLAWAY 5,

OUTLET CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 29, 1928 2 Sheets-Shqet 2 Z5 Blfg la Way may,

Patented Dec; 23, 1930 PATENT OFFICE ROBERT M. oALLAWAY, or WACO, TEXAS OUTLET CONSTRUCTION Application filed September 29, 1928. Serial No. 309,237.

This invention relates to outlet constructions for tank cars and similar liquid containers. I j V Animportant object of the'inv'ention is to 6 produce a control valve for use with the outletsof tank cars and the like which may be very firmly seated and locked in position and which will not be liable'to be unseated by collision or derailment of the car.

' 10 A further object of the invention is to produce a structure such that thevalve cannot be left in the open position and the dome cap 7 of the car closed. Public utilities require ments are that both the discharge valve and 15 dome cap of a car shall be closed beforethe car is moved whether the car is filled or empty. Careless workmen with the ordinary type of valve control mechanism will leave the valve 'open and close the dome cap',thus

'20 rendering the railway liable and in addition otferingopportunity for a very dangerous explosion.

A still further object of the'invention is the provision of an outlet control valve which is 25 not unseatable when in the locked position by a tool inserted through the car outlet, thus "preventing losses by thieves who, with the V ordinary .type of valve construction, often remove a portion of the contents of the tank 2 30 by unseating the valve through the outlet.

A still further'object of the invention is to provide a construction such that the outlet is not subject to lo'sses, due to breakage resulting from freezing, jarring loose of the cap or other kindred causes. t j

A further object of the invention is to produce ajdeviceof this character which'may be readily andcheaply appliedto the present car. constructions, which will bedurable and efficient/in service, and a general improvement in the art.

: These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in'the" accompanying draw- Y ings,yvl1erein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my inf-ve'n tion and whereinj e 1 Figure lis a vertical sectional view through a tank provided with anoutlet structure and valve therefor constructed in accordance with myinvention a Figure 2 is a plan view of the control mechanism;

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 33 of Figure 1, the valve being in the locked position; 1

' Figure 4 is a side elevation of the valve.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numerals and 11 indicate the upper and lower walls of a tank or tankcar. The upper wall 10 is provided with an inlet opening 12 protected by a dome 13 having a. removable cap 14. The lowerwall beneath this dome has an outlet opening 15 through which the contents of the car may be removed. In accordance with my invention, I provide a relatively heavy outlet fitting 16 which is flanged andbolted or riveted to the lower tank wall 11, as indicated at- 17. The bore of this outlet fitting at its upper end is formed as a valvet seat 18 and at its lower end is interiorly screw-threaded for the reception of an extension section 20 which may be formed of ordinary pipe and which is pinned or otherwise secured against rotation which would release its threaded engagement, as indicated at 21. i To the lower end of this extension pipe section, I secure a coupling 22 to which the ordinary outlet cap 23 may be secure I Seated upon the valve seat is a valve 24 having guides 25 extending into the bore of the fitting 16. This valve has a pair of annularly extending wedge cams 26, each cam having its smaller end disposed toward the butt or the larger end of the other cam and spaced therefrom to provide a notch between adjacent edges of the cams, as indicated at 27.

7 depressed.

a stem socket 31 in which is engaged a steml/Vithin the dome, I provide a bracket 83, which may be bolted or otherwise secured to the dome wall and which embodies a horizontally extending arm 37 to which I secure a valvestem lever guide 38. This lever guide has acentral aperture 39 through which the valve stein may pass and hasformed therein a plurality of other apertures 40, the purpose of which will presently appear. 7 'Pivoted' to the upper end of the stem. is a lever 41, the valve stem engaging end of which is in the form-of a furcate cam 4:2, in

the furcation 43 of which the steniis re ceived, so that when the lever is elevated, the

valvewill be elevated from its seat andthe valvemay be rotated by rotating the lever. By a flexible connection 44, a pin 45 issecured to this lever and is adapted to enter'aselected opening 40 and prevent rotation of the lever in one direction or in a direction releasing thewedge cams from beneath the shoulders of the guide brackets. The lever, when in its elevated position, extendsthrough the domecap opening '46 and accordingly will prevent installation of the cap until it' is In closing the outlet, it is simply ,necessary that the lever 41 becdepressed to permit the valve to seat and then rotated to engage the wedge cams, of the valve firmly beneath the shoulders of the guide brackets and thus wedge the valve againstiitsseat. The pin 45 is then inserted to hold the'lever against return movement, and it will be obvious that if the discharge cap 23 is removed,

any-pressure exerted upon the under face the camv 48 is'unseated, the valve will immediately' engage with its seat and remainin engagement therewith even though the operator failed to rotate the valve to lock it.

Since the construction hereinbefore set forth is capable ofacertain range of change and modification withoutmaterially depart-- ing from the spirit ofthe invention, I do not limit myself to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed;

,1 cla m v 1. In an outlet construction for tanks, tank ,7 1 cars and the like, a tank having aligned open- -1ngs in its upper and lower walls,an outlet fitting secured to the lower wall about the I edges of the opening and including a valve :seat, a valve COHJCiZlllg with said seat, said valve having oppositely arranged cam wedges at the opposite sides thereof, adjacent edges of saidwedges being spaced to provide a notch therebetween and brackets secured upon the interior of the lower wall of the tank at opposite sides of the seat andwith which said notches are alignable, the lower portions of said brackets being cut-awayto form downwardly facing shoulders'beneath which said cam wedges may engage.

2. In an outlet construction for tanks, tank H cars and the like, a tank having aligned openings in'its upper and lower walls, an outlet fittingsecured-to the lower wall about the edges. of the opening and including a valve seat, a valve coacting with said seat, said valve having oppositely arranged cam wedges at the opposite sides thereof, adjacent. edges of said wedgesbeing spaced to provide a notch therebetween, brackets secured upon the interior of the lower wall of the tank atopposite sides ofthe seat and v with which said notches are, alignable,.the lower portions of said bracketabeing. cutaway to form downwardly facing. shoulders beneath which said cam wedges may engage,

a stem for said valve, a support through which the stem extends and a cam lever secured to theupper endof the stem and co.-

acting with said'support to vertically shift I the valve when the lever-isrocked in avertical plane.

3. In an outlet construction for tanks, tank cars and the like, a tank having'aligned openings in its upper and lower walls, an outlet V fitting secured to the lower wall aboutathe edges of the opening'and including a valve seat, a valve coacting; with said seat, said valve having oppositely arranged earn wedges at the opposite sides thereof, adjacent edges of said wedges being spaced to providea notch therebetween, brackets secured upon the interior of the lower walliof the tank at opposite-sides of the seat and with which said notches are alignable, the lower portions'of said brackets being cut-away to form downwardly facing shoulders beneath which'saidi cam wedges mayengage, a stem for said valve, a support through which the stem extends, a cam lever secured to theiupperiend of the stem andcoacting with said support to vertically shift the valve when V the lever is rocked in a vertical plane, and

insane for locking said-leverin rotatably ad-r justed' positions.

4. In an outlet constructionffor tanks, tank cars and the like, a tank havingjalignedf openings in its upper and lower wa1ls,jan outlet 3 fitting secured to the lower wall about the j edges of the opening and includinga valve seat, a valve coacting; with said seat, said j V valve having 1' oppositely arranged; cam

wedges at the opposite ,sides thereof, adjacent edges of said wedges beingspaee'd to provide a notch therebetween, brackets secured upon the interior of the lower wall of the tank at opposite sides of the seat and with which said notches are alignable, thelower portions of said brackets being cut away to form downwardly facing shoulders beneath which said cam wedges may engage, a' stem for said valve, a support through which the stem extends, and a cam lever secured to the upper endof the stem and coacting with said support to vertically shift the valve when the lever is rocked in a vertical plane, theupper end of said lever projecting through said Opening when the lever is in elevated position.

' 5'. In an outlet construction for tanks, tank cars and the like, a tank having aligned openings in its upper and lower walls, an outlet fitting secured to the lower wall about the edges of the opening and including a valve seat, a valve coacting with said seat, said valve having oppositely arranged cam wedges at the opposite sides thereof, adjacent edges of said wedges being spaced to provide a notch therebetween, brackets secured upon the interior of the lower wall of the tank at opposite sides of the seat and with which said notches are alignable, the lower portions of said brackets being cutaway to form downwardly facing shoulders beneath which said cam wedges may engage, a, stem for said valve, a support through which the stem extends, a cam lever secured to the upper end of the stem and coacting with said support to vertically shift the valve when the lever is rocked in a vertical plane, and means for locking said lever in rotatably adjusted. positions, the upper end of said lever projecting through said opening when the lever is in elevated position.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto alfixmy signature. ROBERT M. CALLAWAY. 

